


Guardian

by Jacen



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Femslash, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-23 09:13:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2542181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacen/pseuds/Jacen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the road to rescue Philip, things change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Death's Throat-The Fall

They were halfway through the valley when Mulan fell.

It was a week after Emma and Snow White had escaped back to Storybrooke, leaving their companions to the quest to rescue Phillip. The stories and the trail had brought Aurora and Mulan to a stretch of blasted wasteland known as Deaths Throat. A jagged ridge of rock marked the beginning of the valley, which dipped low and thin beyond its toothy entrance. The rumours claimed there was ancient place of power on the far end, an old temple where Death himself could be coaxed to toss dice for a mans soul. Those who'd told the tale neglected to mention the desperate people who called the wasteland home.

They'd encountered the first ragged patrol at dawn on their first day in the pass when they were rousted from a sound sleep by the sounds of approaching footsteps. Mulan had found a path through the thorns and the stones, but the pursuit had not ended. By midday she'd accounted for three of them, leaving the bodies to flee with Aurora ahead of the angry mob. The pursuit had not slackened since. Day and night, they rushed ahead of the men of the canyon, snatching rest in fits and starts where they could.

It didn't occur to Aurora that Mulan hadn't been sleeping until she was shaken awake just before dawn on the third day. Amidst all of the running and fighting, she hadn't had a moment to take a good look at her travelling companion. When their eyes met through Mulan's helmet, Aurora finally caught a glimpse. Mulan's skin was verging on ashen where it wasn't streaked with dirt and sweat. Her eyes had a glassy look about them, contrasted with the dark purple that had emerged underneath. Her grip was not as sure as Aurora had become accustomed to and she didn't speak, only grunted. Aurora began to protest, to demand her companion take her ease immediately, but one of the canyon folk chose that moment to tumble into the cave. They'd split, Mulan bringing her sword to bear on their attacker, Aurora scrambling to gather their things.

There was no more running ahead-when an attack came, Aurora stayed near and did what she could. She gathered their supplies, or put her back to Mulan's and watched for other assailants. Twice she'd been grabbed by an attacker and she'd been a surprise both to herself and them by managing to put up enough of a fight to keep them at bay. Though her confidence had been raised by those brief moments of victory, Aurora was still very aware that she was no warrior. That awareness came to a terrifying point a few hours after the most recent thug had been left to bleed on the rocky ground, when Aurora saw Mulan waver, then drop to one knee before pitching forward on the slate at their feet.

She didn't scream, didn't even call out Mulan's name as she caught up her skirts and rushed to the warriors side-though they were ahead of the mob again, she couldn't be sure how far. Crying out now would make them easier to find. Aurora dropped down next to Mulan, pushing her fingertips past the armor on the other woman's neck and seeking out her pulse. There was no time for relief at the thin throb underneath her fingers. Her own heart beating in her throat, Aurora looked around, frantically seeking somewhere after than the middle of the path to take her friend. It took several terrifying moments, but finally she spotted an outcropping that seemed to shade the mouth of a cave. 

 

She couldn't help a whimper of fear at the way Mulan's head rocked back and forth on her neck when Aurora levered her to her feet. It was slow going as the princess used all of her remaining strength to shuffle and drag Mulan's sagging weight to the gap in the rocks. Shaking with the effort, she pushed the warrior in first, backing into the cave only once she was sure they would both fit.

Aurora's breathing echoed in the small gap, providing a harsh background for her thundering pulse. She wedged herself in the entrance to the cave, staring out at the path as she tried to get herself under control. The urge to panic was tempting as she trembled and gulped for breath, but a glance behind at Mulan's crumpled form was enough to break that impulse. If she panicked, there was no one to take care of either of them. Mulan had pushed herself half to death to protect Aurora-what good would that do if Aurora fell to pieces and got them both killed? She shivered again, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Out of habit she reached back into the cave and took Mulan's hand, seeking some small reassurance in the feel of her worn leather gloves.

"Please be alright," she murmured, squeezing gently. "I need you to be alright."

There was no response from the unconscious warrior.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Once she’d gotten them safely to the cave, it took Aurora far too long by her own estimation to gather her wits and continue taking care of the situation. Mulan would have ensured their safety more efficiently. She wouldn't have taken precious minutes clinging to Aurora's hand and forcing herself unsuccessfully not to cry. She would have settled her nerves, then made sure they were well protected and safe until they had recovered. The knowledge that she at least owed it to Mulan to try spurred Aurora out of her misery and into action.

Assured that the canyon beyond the cave mouth would be still and quiet for the time being, Aurora edged back into the cave, checking Mulan’s pulse again before gently removing her helmet. She set it aside, pursing her lips as she tried to decide between stripping the warrior of her armor to make her more comfortable or leaving her in to keep her protected. A glance at the chafing along Mulan’s neck and shoulders from the weight of her mantle was enough to convince Aurora that it needed to come off. She brushed her palm against Mulan’s face in apology before going to work, manipulating buckles and straps to ease the warrior free of her omnipresent armor.

It was rare enough to see Mulan out of at least some portion of her fighting gear, never mind as loose and vulnerable as she was now. Aurora was careful as could be as she took each piece off, setting it all aside in a neat pile. She hesitated at the leather pants and shirt that provided the base of Mulan’s protection, finally choosing to leave them be. After another quick look to the outside, Aurora shuffled both of them further back into the cave, taking the opportunity to assure Mulan’s comfort. She started by fixing the way the warrior was lying, setting their bag of supplies under Mulan’s head and ensuring she was resting against the softest part of the pack. 

Using a bit of water and a rag, Aurora washed Mulan’s face and hands, glancing hopefully at her eyes every few seconds in case Mulan had roused. The warrior slept on through all of Aurora's gentle handling, not moving even when the cool cloth was dabbed over her forehead. When that had been set aside, Aurora chewed her lip, trying to decide what to do next. When nothing immediately came to mind, she exhaled a slow, shaky breath, then shuffled along the floor of the cave to lean her hip against Mulan's waist. She carefully took the other woman's hand again, pressing it between her own to impart some of her warmth. 

"You really do need to wake up," she said, glancing over her shoulder again to be sure no one was sneaking up. All that she could see behind her was the mouth of the cave, the open wasteland and the far side of the canyon beyond. "I don't know what to do now. And you know I'm no good with a sword. Or...wilderness..." She trailed off, studying Mulan's face for signs that she was being heard. When the warrior made no movement, Aurora squeezed her hand gently and continued. "I'm sorry I can't help you more. I'm sorry you have to do so much to protect me. I am trying, I really am."

She looked down at their joined hands, struggling to quash the fear as it welled up. "We're so close to finding him again," she said, rubbing her fingertips against Mulan's wrist. "If you get up soon, I can't imagine it's very far." She watched her own fingers, pale against Mulan's skin, as she made little loops. "I promise that as soon as we're home, you can teach me how to wield a sword, or even a bow. That way I won't be defenceless." The promise seemed silly considering their current predicament, but it was something Aurora had considered for some time. She didn't expect to become as proficient as Mulan or even Snow White, but there were too many times along this journey where she'd felt frustrated and frightened and helpless due to her inability to defend herself. Flailing unpredictably was not a valid strategy.

Though she wetted the rag and began to daub at Mulan's face again, there was still no response. The warriors collapse had sent her into a sleep so deep it resembled the Curse. Aurora's hand clenched on Mulan's as she tried and failed to stop herself from imagining her friend trapped in that horrifying place. Mulan was so brave, so strong, but anyone alone in the fire for too long could break. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to be sure, in spite of there being no obvious marks that would suggest poisoning. Perhaps something had bitten Mulan, or some tiny weapon had slipped her guard. First she ran her fingertips up and down Mulan's arms, hesitating on the thin, pale lines of old scars. Next she leaned in close to Mulan's throat, studying every mark and finding none fresh. She checked the warriors feet and looked at the creases in her pants, but there was nothing to be found. Heart still skipping in her throat, Aurora wove her fingers through Mulan's, settling next to her once more and staring out at the desolate canyon. No sleeping curse, only total exhaustion from what Aurora had to assume was three sleepless days. Tears slid hot down her cheeks as she considered again what a burden she was.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How they'd gotten so far ahead of the pack, Aurora had no idea-perhaps Mulan had killed a scout, far from his band of rogues. When night began to fall and there was still no sign of pursuit from the canyon beyond the cave, Aurora finally went about the motions of setting up a camp. She shuffled some debris closer to the entrance, then took off her cloak and wrapped it around Mulan. Aurora rummaged briefly in the pack, retrieving a handful of the dried fruit Mulan had prepared before they reached the canyon, then returned the bag to it's place under the warriors cheek. She sat with one hand locked resolutely in Mulan's, the other taking food from her skirt to her mouth one bite at a time as she stared out into the greying canyon. They would come, she knew. It was just a matter of when. 

When the food was done, Aurora looked back once again at her still companion. The warrior’s chest rose and fell in slow breaths, her mouth hanging slightly open. Several tendrils of her hair had slipped from her bun, some stuck dry to the skin at the nape of her neck, others drifting across her ear. The hand that wasn’t interleaved with Aurora’s was curled against Mulan's own chest as though cradling something precious. That this softness had never been so apparent to Aurora was upsetting. How had she let herself forget that Mulan wasn't just a suit of armor? Why had it taken a total collapse for her to remember? She knew how driven Mulan could be, how singleminded. How many times had she tempered the soldier's pragmatism along their journey, after all? She reached out to lay her knuckles along Mulan's jaw, lips pursing in irritation at their mutual failings. "You are awful," she murmured, turning her hand around to run her fingertips up along Mulan's cheek until she was cupping her face with one hand. Leaning over, she peered at the warrior, looking for any response. "Wake up so you can defend yourself," she continued with an overdone air of command. The smile that began with her attempt at silliness faded as Mulan took a long breath, then utterly failed to rouse.

"Then I'll do it," she announced, letting her hand trail off of Mulan's face as she leaned back and looked around the cave. She hadn't initially been serious but now that the idea had sprung to mind, she realized it was exactly the thing to do. For tonight, she could sit vigil over Mulan the way the other woman had watched over her so many nights before. Her gaze wandered from the entrance to the heap of discarded armor on the cave floor. If she was going to properly guard them, she should look the part...it wasn't as though Mulan was using it...  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How anyone could move in armor was the number one question Aurora was going to ask when Mulan finally came around. Every gesture and adjustment pinched something and if she wasn't careful she was sure she'd sit down wrong and squeeze the air directly out of her own lungs. Though Mulan certainly looked imposing in all of her gear, it was very apparent once the princess had squirmed into the armor that the warrior was a bit leaner than Aurora. Only by draping Mulan's cloak around herself was Aurora able to conceal all of the ways the armor didn't fit. 

Still, there was something to be said for how strong it made her feel. There was no magic to it but the weight of the mantle on her shoulders made her feel huge and imposing. As long as she didn't try to move much, she supposed she was a menacing figure indeed. There was just one last piece needed to complete the image.

With some effort, she turned to look at Mulan's sword, propped against the wall next to the unconscious warrior. It was a scavenged blade, found after Snow White had disappeared with Mulan's actual weapon. Aurora frowned to herself, adding that to the long tally of slights she held herself responsible for. If the other woman hadn't been so duty-driven to bring back Aurora's heart, she might have retrieved her blade in the aftermath of the battle..."And if I hadn't been such a fool and been captured in the first place," she murmured aloud, "you wouldn't have needed to win my heart back."

There was a soft sound behind her and Aurora's heart leapt. Finally, Mulan was awake! The princess nearly fell as she tried to pivot around to see, planting her hand against the sword's grip to steady herself. Her eyes sparked with glee as she peered across the cave to see that her travelling companion hadn't budged at all, her eyes still firmly shut. Aurora's smile became a frown, hidden under the jaw protection of the helmet. She looked past Mulan, immediately finding the source of the noise at the entrance to the cave. Her heart crashed with panic at the sight of another person. They had been found.

He was young, barely past childhood-she could still see the boy he'd been in the roundness of his eyes and cheeks. His hair was thin, long and greasy with neglect and dirt. His skin was tanned, smudged over here and there with mud and sand. A loose tunic of coarse-looking fabric, most likely handed down from a much stockier person, hung over his chest and brushed the ground between his knees. On his feet, she could see sandals, just like the other men of the valley. The boy was crouched just inside of the cave entrance, one hand braced on the ground, the other hanging at his side. 

He had no weapon at all and when she finally looked him in the face Aurora was surprised at what she saw. The boy's eyes gleamed with tears and his mouth hung slightly open. His lip trembled in an expression of miserable terror. She nearly turned to look behind her for the source of his fear when it dawned on her all at once that the canyon dwelling boy was frightened by her. She was a warrior in armor after all, one hand on a sword that he expected to lodge in his heart any moment now. 

Fighting back the urge to look at Mulan, Aurora slowly closed her hand around the grip, holding onto the sword without turning it towards the boy. She watched him while he watched the blade, his hand flattening out as he prepared to run. The corners of her eyes prickled as she fought her nerves-she couldn't start crying, not a single tear, because that sort of weakness could turn this whole situation on it's ear. It took concentration to recall that tone of royal command, though she needed it now more than ever before. 

"Do you want to live?" She felt a shiver run across her back-in spite of her attempts at control, her voice had nearly betrayed her fear. She was thankful for the helmet's guard covering the rapid rise of her eyebrows when he nodded. "You must tell them we went another way," she intoned as gravely as she could. This time she believed herself, bolstered by that previous success. The boy swallowed, looking away from Aurora and spotting Mulan in the half-dark. 

She nearly fell over as she grabbed the sword and scrambled in between the boy and her sleeping friend. "No!" She barked, her pulse racing with fear and anger. "No! You tell them we went another way! Don't you even think about-" She jabbed at the cave entrance with the pointed end of the sword, getting her balance back in time to see the boy's heel disappearing past the rocks. She gasped for breath as the pressure of the sudden movement threatened to squeeze the wind out of her, stumbling to her knees next to Mulan. Now the tears overflowed, Aurora's shoulders shaking as she pulled the helmet off and fumbled with the ties that held the armor in place. "Mulan wake up please please you must wake up I think they're coming now oh please, please," she babbled, writhing her shoulders free and pushing the chest plate over her head. She discarded it to one side, glancing fearfully at the cave entrance and finding no one there.

Aurora took Mulan by the shoulders and shook her once, then pinched her arms. Peering into the other womans face for any sign of consciousness, she ran her fingers along the warriors jaw. "Mulan they are coming and I can't protect us," she sniffled, leaning her forehead against Mulan's and putting her palms against the other woman's cheeks. "Please, please, please wake up." Tears dripped from the princesses eyelashes to spatter on Mulan's face as Aurora bent forward and attempted a kiss, her last resort. 

The first and second were hesitant pecks, tentative brushes leading to the third; she parted her lips and darted the tip of her tongue against Mulan's mouth. The tears flowed across both of their cheeks as Aurora clung to her friend, kissing her with all of the considerable hope and love she could muster. It must be that-what else could she feel for the woman who defended her in her weakness, forgave her faults, who had fought all the way to Cora herself to recapture Aurora's stolen heart? Mulan was more than a friend, more than a bodyguard or a porter. There was no other word Aurora knew that seemed adequate-this must be love. Would the love of a friend be true enough to wake Mulan?

The answer appeared to be a resounding yes. As Aurora moved one hand from Mulan's cheek to her shoulder, the unconscious woman came awake with a sudden gasp. The princess recoiled when Mulan flinched away, holding up her hands to show she was no threat. "I'm sorry," she said when Mulan fixed her with a hard, disbelieving stare. "I couldn't think of anything else and-"

"How long was I asleep?" Though it was the first thing Mulan said, it was clear another question had arisen and been set aside. "I...did we reach the end? What happened?" The warriors eyes darted around the cave, quickly assessing her surroundings. She avoided looking at Aurora, peering muzzily past her to the cave entrance instead.

"We...no, we didn't, we aren't there yet," Aurora answered, wrapping her arms around herself. She tried to catch Mulan's eye as the other woman's gaze slid past, but those drowsy eyes skipped away, fixating on the discarded armor instead. "We need to go," she added, as Mulan reached for the chest piece and yanked it over her head. 

"Are they here?" Mulan finally looked at Aurora, her expression stern and unreadable. The princesses heart sank at the sight. Though it had worked, the kiss had clearly offended Mulan. Aurora bent to pick up the helmet, offering it to Mulan with both hands. Her expression was all apology when the warrior next met her eyes. Aurora's fear that Mulan was angry over her presumptive behaviour eased when Mulan's sharp frown softened. She took the helmet with one hand, the other catching Aurora's palm before she could pull away. The silence stretched for the space of a few breaths, then Mulan squeezed Aurora's hand gently. 

"Thank you for taking care of me," Mulan said, her eyes darting down and away when Aurora stepped close. "You did well."

Aurora clasped her other hand over Mulan's. "I swear I will do better," she said, rubbing her thumb against Mulan's wrist. "If it ever happens again."

Mulan stared at their linked hands, watching Aurora's thumb. She took a deep breath, then looked up, studying Aurora's exhausted, concerned face. Aurora watched her struggle with the words, until finally Mulan squeezed her palm again and nodded once. "I know you will." Again those were clearly not the first words that Mulan had considered, but Aurora knew one day those words might come. She released Mulan's hand and took the helmet back, lifting it over the warriors head. 

"Let's go," Aurora said with a small smile, bending to pick up the pack. "We're nearly there."


	2. Shielded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danger looms as sure as unsaid feelings grow.

There were curses, and then there were CURSES. Mulan wasn't sure which spirit or ghost had conjured up the 'get everything you want' curse, but she was ready to pop it in the mouth. She thought of it every time Aurora grabbed for her hand in the middle of the night and every time the princess gave her a swift kiss on the cheek or-gods above and below-the corner of the mouth. Though it twisted her gut later with regret and shame, she could not bring herself to prevent Aurora from expressing her affection, any more than she could return it with anything but a small smile. 

She didn't know what was going through the other woman's head, why she'd suddenly adopted this new expression of friendship, and she would rather face an entire platoon of the sunburned savages of the dead valley than ask her outright. Instead she suffered in silence, accepting the kisses and the touches, letting Aurora take shelter in her arms when night came. 

The wanderers were more sparse now, and defending against them was easier. Those that lived this far down the valley were gibbering madmen and if they didn't run in terror at the sight of another person, they attacked with screaming, frothing fury. She put them down quickly and moved Aurora on, putting each howling lunatic out of her sight as soon as she could. She saw them in her nightmares regardless, always a second too late, always just as they pounced on her or Aurora.

Two days had passed since the last attack when they climbed a small mound of loose rock and found themselves facing a gap in the canyon edge. It was thin, just large enough for them to slip through sideways, one after the other. Beyond the passage was dim and cool, welcome respite from the relentless heat of the canyon. Mulan lead through the first few gaps, her sword pointed at the darkness ahead, until they finally stepped free of the tight confines of the entrance to a small cave. 

It wasn't much, a few feet wide and irregularly shaped, but it gave them room to adjust their things. What tiny amount of light followed them into the depths stopped here-the passage at the far side of the room looked dark as pitch. Mulan tucked her scabbard along Aurora's back, leaving her sword free in her hand. She offered her helmet to the princess, who shook her head, staring at the cave walls with trepidation. 

"Do you want to stay here while I go ahead?" Mulan asked, touching Aurora's wrist with one gloved hand to draw her attention.

"Do you think we're very far down?" Aurora answered, adjusting the way the pack sat on her back. 

"We're under about six feet of rock," Mulan answered, stepping closer to Aurora and taking her hand. When Mulan gave a little tug, Aurora finally looked at her, her eyes wide in the dim light filtering in from the entrance. 

"I'm coming with you," Aurora stated firmly. It wasn't quite The Royal Tone (as Mulan thought of it) but she recognized that Aurora would argue the point. "Do we need a torch?" She asked, a little quieter. 

"I don't know. I have some wood," Mulan answered, giving Aurora's hand a gentle squeeze, then reaching for the branch protruding from the pack. Aurora lifted her skirt slightly, nodding to the already torn petticoat. Mulan carefully tore free a few strips, trying to keep to the damaged sections rather than ruining cloth that was still good. With the wood and the cloth she fashioned a torch, then handed it to Aurora and lit it The princess raised it overhead with one hand once it had caught, briefly lighting the whole room. Mulan waited until the initial flare had passed before asking, "Are you ready?"

Now Aurora paused. Mulan kept silent as she watched fear and worry cross the princesses open face before Aurora settled her own nerves, then leaned a few inches forward to kiss Mulan on the cheek. "I am," Aurora said, her hand tensing around Mulan's. "Lead the way."

It was slow, her senses working overtime to adapt to the chill and the dark. The only movement in the air was a faint breeze crossing their faces, emanating from the depths ahead of them. It smelled of cold stone and a hint of decay. The fire flickered at the tip of the torch, dipping low as they followed the constricted pathway. They were silent as the passage went on and on, barely changing course, getting ever thinner before it abruptly widened into another small chamber. 

Still quiet, they caught their breath, using the torch to peer into the dusty corners of the room. It seemed undisturbed by human hands, without footprints or scrapes to indicate anyone had passed this way in some time. There was only one way forward, continuing the mostly straight line the previous passage had lead them on. It was thinner by far than the one they’d just left. Each of them took a turn pressing themselves into the passage, to see if there was any way to continue. 

Mulan tried first, the tight confines pressing her armor into her chest. She could move, though she scraped against the walls as she went, and so she retreated to allow Aurora to test the passage. Though her garments were softer, Aurora herself was slightly larger, and she clearly had some difficulty at first. Mulan watched as she shifted and adjusted her shoulders, imagining the intense, brow-furrowed glare Aurora was fixing ahead of herself as she moved. 

The first stone that plinked down onto her boot was dismissed as a trick of the light, but the second and third could not be ignored. Just as Aurora was starting to shuffle backwards to allow Mulan to go first, a shower of sand followed the rocks. Mulan lunged into the gap, one hand pushing Aurora further along. “It’s collapsing. Go. Go!” she barked, ignoring the grind of her armor against stone as she shoved the princess ahead. Aurora gasped, flailing the torch out to catch glimpses of the tunnel as she lurched into the dark. Sand and stones pelted down on her from above, only ceasing when she came abruptly free of the rock wall. She tumbled off of her feet, falling flat on the floor. The torch failed for a moment, pitching her into blackness, then sputtered back to weak life. Aurora braced her palms and pushed herself to her knees, reaching to the sides, then picking up the torch and turning back towards the tunnel.

“Mulan?”

She clung to the torch with both hands when there was no immediate reply. Her breathing was suddenly incredibly loud in the tiny cave. Aurora steadied herself on her knees, stretching the torch back the way she’d come. She didn’t want to look, in case the worst had come to pass, but she had no choice. “Mulan?” she asked again, wobbling as she started to stand.

The answer was a slow, shaky drawn breath, deep in the crack in the earth. Aurora paused, still bent over. She listened intently until it came again, then rushed to the gap. “Mulan!”

“Don’t.” Mulan’s voice was thready. Aurora had a horrible vision of her friend pressed between the rocks, unable to move, barely breathing in the tiny space. “Don’t come in.”

“Can you move?” Aurora cautiously extended the torch past the entrance to the gap, hoping to catch the shine of Mulan’s armor or a glimpse of her face. She heard metal scrape on rock, then a hint of something waving at her, just past the light. 

“Aurora. Don’t come any further.” Now the words were rushed, followed by a gasp.

“I’m not. But you can see the light?” Aurora moved it up and down and side to side. 

“Yes. Yes. Stay out, please.”

Aurora withdrew the torch by an inch, looking back at the stony floor. In the gap, she could hear Mulan breathing in short gulps, taking as much air as she could. She braced one hand on the side of the entrance, then leaned back towards her trapped friend. “Can you move?”

There was a pause as Mulan took in enough air to answer. “Maybe,” she responded. There was a clank, a scrape, then nothing. “Not...much…” she elaborated. The torch flickered, very slightly reflected in the metal of her armor.

“Rest,” Aurora said, her hand still pressed to the wall. She had never wanted magic more than in that moment, if only to spare Mulan the horrible pressure of the collapsed tunnel. “Do you want me to talk? Or be quiet?”

Another pause. “Talk. Please.”

Aurora chewed her lip for a moment. “You’re going to get out of there,” she stated firmly, leaning to extend the torch further into the gap again. “You’re very smart. And very brave. I know you can make it." She paused, waiting for a reply. All she heard was Mulan's short breathing. "You are my truest friend."

In the dark, Mulan shut her eyes and braced her hands on the walls of the tunnel. Slowly, carefully, she bent her knees, feeling some room open up around her chest. Breathing deep, she focused on Aurora’s voice, hearing the fear and the hope as she listed all of the things she admired about Mulan. It would have been far more flattering without the terror of a slow, crushing death looming large over her head. She pushed towards Aurora again, feeling the chestplate grind into the rock and press against her body. 

The princesses voice was Mulan's anchor. The grit that occasionally dropped over her face kept her eyes mostly shut and her mouth closed. When she stopped, Aurora was still chatting along, plucking at mundane topics and old memories to find something to say. What she was saying didn't matter much to Mulan, just the comfort of another voice, a partner to reach towards was enough to move her along. She had travelled alone for so long before Aurora and Phillip that companionship of any stripe had been strange to adapt to. Now it was clear Aurora had no intention of letting Mulan turn solitary again. It was a warming thought, but an unwelcome one. Come journey's end, they would be parted, Aurora to Phillip and married life, Mulan to wherever her instincts and good intentions took her. 

“Do you remember the wine?” Aurora asked the mouth of the tunnel, raising her voice just enough to be heard over the agonizingly slow scraping within. 

“Wine?” Mulan paused, twisting her shoulders into a gap that afforded her room to catch her breath a little more. “Oh.” She tested the next part of the tunnel with her hand, finding it much thinner than she hoped it would be. “The wine from the camp?” She tried to concentrate on the memory and not the pain she was about to put herself in. Shoving against the rock, she began to force her way through.

“My mother always said soldiers needed a good drink. It kept them on their feet. I was trying to help.” Aurora listened to the clatter and scraping, holding the torch towards the gap with both hands. “Are you alright?”

“It was vinegar.” Mulan pushed with her legs, felt the breastplate compress her chest, then her forward motion ground to a stop. With a harsh grunt, she dug in a heel and pushed past the pinch.

“You drank the whole cup,” Aurora replied as the noise abated. She could see Mulan now, pressed between the rocks, moving inch by agonizingly slow inch.

Mulan paused, leaning her head against the wall directly before her and taking a few slow breaths. “Hmm,” she answered, lips thinning. She squeezed into another gap, losing her breath in the press, then gasping for another as she rose to her toes and wedged herself onwards.

Aurora watched her struggle, waiting until Mulan was resting again to speak. “Why?”

Reaching with one arm, pushing with the other, Mulan shoved herself through, catching a glimpse of the fire out of the corner of her eye. She was almost out, almost free. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to collect herself and think about the best answer for Aurora’s question. “Because you needed a distraction,” she admitted to the wall in front of her. “It made you feel better to care for someone, it gave you something to do other than think of Phillip. A little vinegar is no hardship.” 

“You could have asked for something else.” Aurora's tone was chiding, even a little playful in spite of the situation. 

Mulan huffed, then moved again, triggering a rush of sand along her head and down the back of her shirt. Her heart pounded as she slowed, eyes closed, mouth shut. The stream became a trickle, but it did not stop, picking up with every inch she moved. She was close to escape, she could feel it-just as close as the earth overhead was to shifting and burying her. This next push would have to be the last. No more resting, no more pauses, because a single extra second would leave her trapped. Taking a deep breath, she shifted her shoulders lower and prepared for the rush. “I would drink poison if you gave me the cup,” she said as she began to shove her way between the rocks again.

The gap spat stone and sand, driving Aurora away. Earth showered over Mulan’s barely visible shape. Aurora saw the her lunge, then stop suddenly, caught in place by the falling sand and the quirks of the collapsing earthen passage. “...rora,” Mulan choked out, trying to push further and only succeeding in locking herself more firmly in place..

“Mulan!” Aurora dropped the torch, rushing to the crack. Within, Mulan tried to order her away, but there was no breath to drive the words. She jerked and pushed against the rock, but she could not move herself. The world went dark, her eyes and mouth blocked with sand the moment before two strong, slim hands wound around hers. Awkwardly braced but considerably more mobile, Aurora pulled hard. With a creak Mulan’s armor bent on the rocks, collapsing just enough to let her through. Aurora dragged Mulan free of the sand-filled passage with a hard wrench. She spat dirt and kicked furiously until she was finally loose, collapsing on her back to take frantic gulps of stale air.

Nimble fingers pulled apart her armor, throwing it haphazardly around the tiny cave until Mulan was laid out in her leathers, running her hands over her limbs and body to catalogue her injuries. The scrapes were numerous, but they bothered her less than the bruised, tender places she prodded along her stomach and sides. A broken rib or an internal injury could spell a bad end to this quest. Her gentle probing revealed nothing so extreme.

Aurora brought her the water skin, giving her a few sips to clear the dirt from her teeth, then letting her take a long drink. “Easy, easy, it’s alright, you’re safe, you made it,” Aurora whispered, her terror cracking her voice as she took back the skin. “You made it.” Tears flowed down her cheeks, making tracks in the sand on her face. She rested a hand on Mulan’s neck, her thumb stroking along Mulan’s jaw reassuringly. 

The flame guttered as Mulan’s breathing slowed to a calmer pace. She splashed a few drops of water on her face, wiping the sand from her eyes. She blinked up at Aurora as she took long, deep breaths through her nose. The princess was dishevelled and dirty, streaked with sand and tears, but there had never been a more beautiful sight. She managed a smile when Mulan studied her face, her expression turning shaky as the thin lines of tears turned to a chest-heaving sob. Aurora threw her arms around her friend, burying her face in one gritty shoulder and clinging with frantic strength. Mulan didn’t hesitate-she wrapped Aurora up in a fierce hug, holding her close and letting her cry. Some of Mulan’s tears slipped free as she rubbed the princesses back; she pressed her face into Aurora’s shoulder to keep them at bay. 

“You’re okay,” Aurora murmured, running a hand firmly up Mulan’s back. “You’re okay.” She did not loosen her other arm, keeping Mulan tight to her as though expecting the tunnel to drag the warrior back. “I’m so sorry. I left you, I’m so sorry.”

Mulan squeezed her eyes closed, guilt and love warring across her heart. “I sent you through first,” she murmured, only prompting Aurora to hold tighter. “Aurora, I sent you first. It’s not your fault.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Aurora shook her head. “I can’t lose you.”

Mulan braced herself, though she knew it would be fruitless. Every time Aurora mentioned Phillip it wounded her all the same, another shallow cut to her honor and her loyalty to her dear friend. He would ever be between her and this fragile, frightening love that had blossomed for Aurora. What she wanted and what fate saw fit to bestow would always be separate-she knew it was true, but every reminder stung a little deeper.

Aurora drew back, only enough to look at Mulan’s face in the flickering shadows. “I can’t lose you, Mulan.” Aurora repeated. “I love you.” Mulan’s heart slammed in her chest in two great beats. Aurora’s eyes were dark and wide, her expression as open and honest as she always was. She told no lie, letting those words hang between them while she locked bare fingers through gloved hand and brought them to rest against her chest. “You have left your mark on my heart.”

The sound from Mulan’s throat was a soft groan. She moved without thinking, driven by a sudden flood of emotion to rise to meet the other woman, to run her palm along Aurora’s neck, then bring their lips together in clumsy passion. There was no resistance, only a moment of surprise before her gesture was returned in kind. For those pure moments there was no sand, no cave, no collapse. There was the softness of lips, the tension in their hands, the warmth that built between them. Mulan felt Aurora’s heart pounding in time with her own, each throb a fierce affirmation of this uncovered bond. 

They stayed locked tight together as the first rush of passion ebbed. The kiss became gentler, softer, but no less enrapturing. Their breathing slowed to match the slip and press of their mouths, until they parted with a mutual sigh. 

"We should go," Mulan finally murmured, smiling as Aurora's next kiss caught the corner of her mouth. "It isn't safe."

Aurora hummed. "Can you walk?"

"Yes. Got the bag?"

"I do."

The armour was gathered, the water stowed. With caution, they found a the next exit, mercifully wider and firmer than the last. Linking hands, Aurora and Mulan walked into the darkness.

In the sand behind them, something stirred.


End file.
